SICARIUS ACADEMY (World Of Assasination Series #1)

Prologue

"SHIT!" napasigaw ako sa sakit nang may tumamang patalim sa braso ko. I was shocked because I didn't expect that attack from him that's why I was caught by the sharp edge of his dagger. Nagkaroon ito ng malaking hiwa at dali-dali naman akong napangiwi dahil sa sakit na dulot nito.

I sighed.

"NESTRA, FOCUS!" my Dad shouted kaya napabaling ang atensyon ko sa kanya. His brows furrowed at ipinukol niya sa'kin ang mapanuring tingin. "What are you thinking?"

"N-Nothing," I said in a low voice, almost a whisper. I held my bow and arrow tighly with a serious facial expression. I need to win this fight so that I could take a rest already.

He threw his sharp blades on my direction. Medyo nagulat pa ako pero hindi ko iyon pinahalata at mabuti'y madali ko naman itong naiwasan. Nagpaulan muli siya ng mga sharp blades at mabilis pa sa alas kwatro kong sinangga ang mga 'yon ng mga palaso ko imbes na iwasan ang mga ito. I sighed in relief when all the blades was fell on the floor.

Asintado.

Pinagmasdan ko ang lugar kung nasaan kami. We were inside our huge training room and it was covered with magic spells that my Dad created. Sa labas, mapapansin ang normal na exterior design ng silid na ito na animo'y isang simpleng silid lamang but when you enter, you'll realize how elegant it is. The room has brown and brilliant sculptures. Medyo may kadiliman pero may mga torch na nakasabit sa gilid ng room na nagbibigay ng liwanag sa apat na sulok ng silid. The windows is not visible inside the room because it was covered with color silver energy — it protects the training room for any cause of damage in every fight. There are also big cabinet in front and back side where different weapons in long and short-ranged attacks are stored.

Binalik ko ang atensiyon ko sa aming laban. Despite the pain I feel in my right arm, I managed to calculate his every move, para sa'kin mabilis naman basahin ang mga galaw niya since we're doing this fight everyday pero hindi maiwasan ang mga pagkakataon na nagbibigay siya ng surprise attack. When he was about to attacked me again this time using katana as his weapon, I immediately gathered all my strength to released my arrow on his direction. I attacked him with my meteor shot.

Mabilis akong nagpaikot-ikot sa kinatatayuan niya upang lituhin siya. I steaded my breathing when I saw his uneasy expression. Bingo. I ran as fast as I could while releasing my arrows. Naiiwasan niya ang iba pero malaki ang naging pinsala ng ibang palasong tumama sa iba't ibang parte ng katawan niya. I boosted my speed and did the same thing. I could already feel his uneasy breathing and I smirked.

Mukhang pagod na siya.

Hindi ito naging dahilan para maging panatag ako. It's too early to celebrate because there's a probability that he can switch our position in any minute but I won't let it happen, nauubusan na rin ako ng lakas at dugo. I stayed alert and remain in my defensive stance. With all my remaining strength, I rushed towards him and he was caught off guard. Mukhang hindi pa siya nakaka-recover sa ginawa kong attack kanina. Dali-dali kong pinakawalan ang tatlong matatalim kong palaso ng sabay-sabay, napalakas yata masyado ang force na gimamit ko kaya nagdulot ito ng marahas na debris sa hangin.

Dad's eye widened and I chuckled a bit. He was about to hit but he created a huge fire ball to shield himself from my deadly arrows. Napasimangot ako, hindi siya marunong sumunod sa usapan.

"I thought no using of ability?!" I protest. I crossed my arm in my chest and threw him a dead-pan look. Seems like he's enjoying my angry face. "Dad, you're not following the rules! It's unfair!"

Dad just chuckled that's why I couldn't help but to took a heavy sigh, tila isang bata na nagta-tantrums. "Alright, you got me there...I just got no choice," he sighed, defeated. He walked towards our mini-chest in order to take the bottle of green liquid known as the healing potion. Pagkatapos niyang uminom nito ay unti-unting humihilom ang mga sugat na natamo niya.

"Seriously, I'm glad that you've improved your archery skill so well. You mastered already some long-ranged attacks and I will teach you tomorrow about the techniques that you must learn in close combats," he smiled and tapped my shoulder. "I'm so proud of you."

"I'm so proud of you."

I smiled upon hearing those words from him. Maya-maya pa'y inumpisahan ko nang pulutin ang mga nagkalat na mga weapons namin ni Dad sa sahig pero bago iyon ay uminom muna ako ng healing potion nang makaramdam ako ng kirot sa dumudugong mga sugat ko. My wounds and scratches gradually vanished and my body went back to normal like there's no fight happened minutes ago.

I saw Dad raised his right hand in the mid air and the training room went back to its normal atmosphere. He helped me to restore weapons on the cabinet. Anyway, Dad can control the fire himself and he is indeed a skill-full and knowledgeable one when it comes to a different fight techniques.

Pero akong anak niya, I only have my skill in archery with a bit knowledge in long and short attacks. Hindi hamak na mas magaling siya kumpara sa'kin. To make the story short, I belong to normal people. Seriously? Yes, it's right.

In my seventeenth years of age, I still have no ability. Feeling ko nga isinumpa ako e'. Even until now, naghahanap pa rin ako ng kasagutan kung bakit wala akong kakayahan na magkaroon ng abilidad na mayroon ang aking pamilya, kaibigan, at pati ang mga mamamayan sa bayan ng San Lorenzo.

And I pitied myself for that fact. Kaya siguro ako tini-train ng mabuti ni Dad para kahit papaano'y bumagay naman ako sa mundong ito — a world where the magic is alive and full of people with different extraordinary abilities. Minsan hindi ko maiwasang tanungin ang sarili ko ng: "Ano nga bang ginagawa ko rito?"  at "Ano namang silbi ko sa mundo gayong wala naman akong abilidad?"

I released a heavy sigh and gently shook my head. My mind was preoccupied because of these thoughts while I was fighting against my Dad. I couldn't blame myself though, mismong konsensiya ko rin kase ay nalulunod sa mga katanungang ito.

"I want you to train and improve even more," Dad said out of the blue. His tone became serious and it couldn't help but to brought chills in my spine. Maybe I was drown by my thoughts kaya hindi ko man lang namalayan na nakasunod na pala siya sa'kin sa labas ng training room.

Parang may kakaiba akong naramdaman sa sinabi niya. Kinakabahang tumango na lamang ako pero hindi ko pa rin mapigilan ang aking kuryosidad. "W-Why, Dad?"

Ang sumunod niyang sinabi ang mas nagpawindang sa'kin ng lubusan. Hindi nagkamali ang sinasabi ng instinct ko. I did not expect it. I just hoped that I didn't hear it right.

He stared intently at me. I met his hazel brown eyes and didn't even took a blink.

"Because I want to enroll you to Sicarius Academy, Nestra. You must be ready."